Dr. Udemezue Ezekwesili
Residency training is a post-graduate medical training that leads to the certification of a doctor to practice as a specialist in a particular field of medicine.
Recently, the limited spaces available for residency training in Nigeria, the opening up of a variety of new roles for doctors and sheer determination of doctors to make an impact in non-clinical fields have led to the question- What else outside residency can the graduate doctor fit into to continue rendering service and positive impact in Nigeria?
We quickly explore five such windows that are worth exploring.
Firstly, academic medicine; there is an increasing demand to upscale the involvement of doctors training medical students. Teaching roles in the basic medical sciences (Anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, pathology and pharmacology) are good platforms to launch a career in academic medicine. Doctors who are adept at teaching could take up postgraduate masters degrees in these areas, acquire additional diplomas in education and fit snugly into the teaching roles in these departments. Doctors who enter the academic field and aren’t involved in clinical jobs are able to utilize the time available to them to pursue doctoral qualifications and research and can rise through the academic wrung with relatively good speed. The hope is that in the future, fresh medical graduates would be allowed to complete masters degrees or certain diplomas during housemanship or national service years as this could whet their appetite for academic medicine.
There are doctors who have an attraction to the corporate world. Opportunities exist for career development in non-governmental organisations, pharmaceutical industry and health management organisations (H.M.O). HMOs are private or public incorporated companies that manage the provision of healthcare services through health facilities in a cost-effective manner. Pharmaceutical companies now absorb doctors to play a range of roles such as provision of scientific training for their sales representatives, conducting scientific dialogues with external medical experts and to support drug development research. Such roles are now tailored to specific fields such as respiratory, special care unit and oncology liaisons. Furthermore, the number of NGOs working in Nigeria has increased tremendously over the last decade owing to the burden of humanitarian needs occasioned by crisis situations across the country. The portfolio for doctors in NGOs stretch through clinical, research and management responsibilities. Doctors with interest in the corporate world may buoy their prospects by getting additional degrees in IT, business administration, human resource management, supply chain and public health.
The Business of Medicine: this refers to engaging in profitable businesses within the healthcare space. A good number of doctors are adept in business and ordinarily have a knack for carrying out viable enterprises. Nowadays, it is possible to pursue ones dreams as a business person without abandoning the healthcare space or having a divided attention between a clinical job and your passion for business. There are a range of services that doctors who have business interests can provide for hospitals out-source such; services such as hospital facility cleaning, fumigation, equipment sterilization and maintenance, ambulance services, and electronic medical records management. Also the supply and sale of healthcare goods is an area where doctors can latch unto. There is an added advantage for knowing the people, knowing the needs and understanding the quality of goods and services required. Doctors no longer have to watch only core business people build enterprises around the health space. However, to run viable businesses will require partnerships, loans and small scale startups with funds raised through foundational clinical jobs. Obtaining added training in supply chain and business management can strengthen the capacity of such enterprises.
Sports medicine: this area is relatively nascent in the country due to the somewhat poor organisation of the sports sector in Nigeria. However, opportunities exist for doctors who have interests in working with athletes, sports clubs and sports federations as medical staff. These roles revolve around sports radiology and imaging, pharmacy and doping control, physical therapy and rehabilitation, sports nutrition, exercise physiology and sports psychology. Prospects in these areas can be bolstered through additional training in sports medicine and imaging. These opportunities can lead into job roles in FIFA, Athletics Federation and sports clubs.
Government Parastatals are the last but in no way the least area to consider for doctors outside residency. Government agencies and ministries have roles for doctors to provide healthcare for its staff. This involves working in designated clinics, committees and government events. Doctors who have passion for special services have huge opportunities with the armed forces like the army, navy, airforce, police and paramilitary agencies like the Federal Road Safety Corps and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps. Like the others, there is room for further training particularly in administration and management which could enable one attain head directorates and get involved in policy-making within the government circles.
This discuss is a brief highlight on the roles doctors can embrace taking cognizance of their unique gifting, passions and interests. I have carefully looked into areas that have bearing only to healthcare without touching non-medical endeavours.
It is my hope the doctors in Nigeria will entrace new adventures to make impact and serve mankind while looking beyond residency training, knowing that there is so much capacity to do much more and to break new grounds.
Dr. Udemezue Ezekwesili
#Career #2018